South Korea President Lee Jae-myung sparks crisis with Holocaust remarks

Web Desk
April 14, 2026

SEOUL – South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has ignited a major diplomatic crisis after comparing Israel’s military actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, drawing sharp condemnation from Israeli officials and criticism from opposition parties at home .

The controversy began when President Lee shared a video on social media platform X showing Israeli soldiers abusing a Palestinian man—kicking his body and pushing it off a rooftop in the occupied West Bank town of Qabatiya in September 2024 . In his post, Lee wrote:

“The wartime killings by the Israeli army are no different from the Holocaust of the Jews.”

Holocaust Remembrance Day Timing

The statement proved particularly inflammatory as it came just before Yom HaShaoh—Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day—when the nation mourns the six million Jews murdered by Nazis during World War II . Israeli officials accused Lee of trivializing the genocide of European Jewry.

Israel’s Sharp Rebuke

Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded swiftly and forcefully:

“President Lee Jae-myung, for some strange reason, chose to dig up a story from 2024 and cite a fake account that falsely presented it as a current event. The trivialization of the massacre of Jews on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day is unacceptable and warrants strong condemnation.”

The ministry further noted that the incident had already been “thoroughly investigated and addressed two years ago” and that the soldiers had been operating against terrorists while facing “direct and immediate threats to their lives”.

Lee Doubles Down

Rather than backing down, President Lee defended his position:

“It’s disappointing that you don’t even once reflect on the criticisms from people around the world who are suffering and struggling due to relentless anti-human rights and anti-international law actions. When I am in pain, others feel that pain just as deeply.”

Domestic Backlash

The president faced criticism not only from Israel but also from South Korea’s conservative opposition. People Power Party lawmakers accused Lee of sharing unverified content from conspiracy theorists and harming national interests.

Opposition leader Ahn Cheol-soo called Lee’s actions “dangerous pro-traitor diplomacy” that undermines South Korea’s alliance with Israel—a key economic partner with which Seoul signed a free trade agreement.

Chun Ha-ram, floor leader of the Reform Party, noted that the account Lee shared from, “Jvnior,” is known for spreading anti-Israel disinformation and conspiracy theories.

Government Clarification

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry attempted to ease tensions, stating that Lee’s comments reflected “convictions regarding universal human rights rather than an opinion on any specific issue” and expressed “profound condolences to the victims of the Holocaust”.

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Context of Energy Crisis

Analysts noted that Lee’s unusually strong language may be linked to domestic pressures. South Korea imports over half its oil from the Middle East, and the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war has disrupted energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, causing fuel prices to soar .

Dr. Kobby Barda, a senior researcher at the Jewish People Policy Institute, observed:

“This is less a story about Israel and more about a pressured South Korea, energy concerns, Iran, and domestic politics. Israel has simply become a tool in the equation.”

The Video Evidence

The video shared by Lee—verified by multiple news outlets—shows Israeli soldiers pushing three apparently lifeless Palestinian bodies from a rooftop in Qabatiya on September 19, 2024 . Under international law, armed forces must treat the remains of the dead with dignity.

Data from Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) shows that Israel has closed approximately 88 percent of investigations into alleged abuses by its forces in Gaza and the West Bank without charges or findings of wrongdoing .